


pro bono

by doggo_fiends_on_a_spaceship



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec POV, Alec-centric - Freeform, Episode: s01e11 Blood Calls to Blood, M/M, Slight Canon Divergence, not edited or anything, questionable use of italics, see inside for more information, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-16
Updated: 2017-04-16
Packaged: 2018-10-19 13:06:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10640451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doggo_fiends_on_a_spaceship/pseuds/doggo_fiends_on_a_spaceship
Summary: What would have happened if Alec had accepted Magnus's original price.





	

**Author's Note:**

> YES, I know the quotes weren't exact. I mostly wrote this out of frustration at like, 1 o'clock in the morning bc I read a fic about "what would have happened" in this scene and I got mad.
> 
>  
> 
> so i totally forgot to put my tumblr on here so here it is hello i am @doggo-fiends-on-a-spaceship if you wanna hit me up or scream at me or whatever

 

 

 

"I'll do it..." Magnus said, tilting his head. "...For the right price."

"Name it." Alec said without hesitation.

"You," Magnus said, flourishing his drink carelessly. 

Alec felt his heart skip a beat. He nearly flinched back at the suggestion.

"In fact, I'll do you pro bono," Magnus added, wiggling his eyebrows.

Alec felt a spark of discomfort for the first time- so far, being around Magnus had been surprisingly comforting, even when he was bitter and sad. He accepted Alec as he was- although not, perhaps, his decisions- and respected him as a leader. It wasn't something he expected from people in general, much less strangers. But Magnus had always done it without a second thought.

His first impression of Magnus had been that he was a good man. Perhaps a bit jaded, lost, but... a good man.

The idea of having- well, having  _sex_ with him was... confusing.

Alec wasn't stupid, he knew perfectly well what the warlock was implying.

On one hand, the man was gorgeous. Stunning. _Clearly_ experienced.

And he wasn't exactly a  _bad_ guy, either.

But on the other hand...

Alec wasn't ready. At all. He wasn't sure he'd ever be. 

Much less with someone he barely knew (as fascinating as he was). And the fact that he'd accept it at all for payment was slightly... unsettling.

Unwillingly, his mother's words came to mind:

_Downworlders are slaves to their impulses. And Bane is one of the worst: sex, money, pleasure... the only things he cares about. Stay away from him, Alec, for your own sake._

But this was his sister.

He loved her. 

He'd do  _anything_ for her.

Including this.

Who knows, he tried to tell himself. It could be fun. He might even _like_ it.

"Fine," he said aloud, keeping his face stoic and his voice void of emotion.

Magnus blinked, the fingers that had been twitching at his glass stilling. "Excuse me?"

Alec wondered if he'd deliberately set a price he knew Alec wouldn't pay. Perhaps his mother had been right.

"Your price," Alec stated. "I'll do it."

Magnus's eyes widened. He flicked his hand, his drink vanishing in a glimmer of light.

"Wh-  _oh._ Oh, no."

Alec frowned in confusion, but Magnus stepped forward, his closed-off mask dropping in favor of vigorously denying such a thing.

"Alec, that was only a quip," he said hurriedly, hands waving worriedly. "I would never expect you to-" He broke off with a light shiver of horror. "I have no intentions of forcing  _anyone_ into my bed, I assure you. No, I'm sure we can agree on a much more reasonable price."

"Like what?" Alec asked, rolling his eyes.

Despite appearing outwardly unaffected, he felt a great relief in his chest.

He wasn't quite sure at what- at the fact that he wouldn't have to give up his virginity to save his sister, or that Alec hadn't been wrong in his first impression of Magnus.

Magnus, meanwhile, was clearly already rebuilding his unaffected facade. He wouldn't look Alec in the eye.

"I don't know," he responded, waving his hand dismissively. "Something important to you, I suppose, or something valuable."

"Personally important?" Alec asked reluctantly.

"If you wish," Magnus said, still avoiding his gaze.

"How about my bow and quiver?" Alec asked, looking at the ceiling. He already half regretted offering, but...

Anything was worth saving his sister.

_Anything._

Besides, he could always get a new bow, even if it wouldn't be the same.

"Done," Magnus said, "I really must be going."

"What about your payment?" Alec yelled to his retreating back.

"Pay me when I win," Magnus called over his shoulder.

 

 

**\---------** **AFTER THE TRIAL---------**

_  
_ "As promised... payment in full," Alec said, handing Magnus the bow and quiver.

"Thank you," Magnus said. He sounded blasé and unconcerned, but there was something uneasy in his posture.

"I just wanted you to know... Lydia was wonderful in court." Magnus said, waving the bow slightly with an almost sarcastic flair. "She's great."

"So you get it," Alec said, letting out a breath.

"No, Alec," Magnus said sharply, "I get her. I like her. But you  _don't have to marry her."_

Magnus just didn't get it, did he?

He'd done so much for them. And Alec really was grateful. He  _was._

Magnus had done the impossible, with a little help, and got Izzy off scot-free.

He'd helped them with Clary and Luke.

He'd been so understanding.

And yet. And  _yet._

Alec wondered if in all his years of living, he'd truly never come across a marriage that just needed to happen, no matter what either party wanted.

"Yes, I do, Magnus." he said simply.

"You'll be lonely all of your life, and so will she," Magnus protested, his dark eyes worried. " _Neither_ of you deserve it."

He paused for a moment, something small and broken stirring in his eyes. "And I don't either."

He said it like there was some other story there, no doubt hidden depths Alec knew nothing about.

Alec wondered who had hurt him.

But it wasn't Alec's job to fix him.

As much as Alec just  _liked_ him, as much as he'd enjoyed drinking with him that night, talking and laughing, he wasn't family.

Family came first. It had to.

After a moment, Magnus sighed. Part of Alec hoped he'd finally given up. It'd be better for both of them- especially Magnus- if he did.

(Another dark, hidden part of Alec hoped he didn't. Because despite everything, Alec  _did_ want him. He wanted to kiss him, to go on a date with him, to  _really_ get to know him. Because he made Alec feel  _alive_ for the first time in years.

But he couldn't.

He wasn't allowed.

He could never have what he wanted-

He could never be happy.

But his happiness wasn't worth his family's. He'd made his peace with that a long time ago.

It was worth every second.)

"I don't know what to do with these," Magnus said softly, pulling him from his thoughts. "You keep them for me."

He shoved them back into Alec's arms and walked away, apparently refusing to say anything else. He left Alec feeling slightly stunned in the middle of the room, holding his bow.

_A man who took this case pretending to want payment in rare objects, but who really believes that injustice toward his friends is intolerable._

Alec remembered Lydia's words, and the look on Magnus's face when she'd said them.

For one moment, he'd looked so  _vulnerable,_ like she'd reached into his heart and showed everyone a piece.

And she was right, wasn't she?

Because Magnus had just given him back his bow.

His only payment, and he'd just given it back without a second thought.

His friends.

They were, weren't they? They were his friends.

And Magnus was... he  _was_ that kind of person. He would probably have defended Izzy without a price at all.

Hell. He  _did._

For not the first time that night, Alec could almost feel his heart aching.

He felt like there were two possibilities.

And down one road was  _Magnus,_ beautiful and compassionate and everything Alec wanted.

And down another was Lydia. Duty, honor, power. His family. His parents, proud of him. Maybe kids some day. Alec had always wanted kids some day. (But not like this.)

But the first road was- it was impossible. It would only end in heartbreak. His parents would never forgive him. God knows what Jace would think.

The second road- fuck, it was agonizing. The thought of being stuck like his parents, unhappy and chained by the Law. Married to a woman, a woman he didn't love,  _forever._ Having kids with her. Kissing her. His stomach twisted unpleasantly. 

Even though Lydia was the best choice he could possibly have had, it was still... he didn't want to. He really didn't.

But this way, Izzy got to marry whoever the hell she wanted. Max got to.

Fuck, a part Alec really hoped at least one of them fell in love with a downworlder. He wanted werewolf nephews or something. Little Seelie nieces.

But reason argued that it would get them hurt. The Clave wouldn't like it all.

But he'd protect them, wouldn't he? They could do whatever the hell they wanted. He'd always protect them.

That's what this was all about.

Protecting family.

So he locked away that little part of him that longed to quit, to run away, to go and find Magnus and  _kiss him under the stars-_

He buried it as deep as he could, locking it down with all of his years of practice muffling every little desire, and he threw away the key.

This was his duty.

And he'd always do it.

(Pro bono, he thought, and gave a bitter chuckle at the irony.)

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> BC MAGNUS WOULDN'T ACTUALLY LET ALEC BASICALLY WHORE HIMSELF OUT?? WTF??
> 
> This was really weird to write for me bc usually I'm such a slut for magnus-centric bc Magnus is my absolute fave and I love him more than anything, but I just... I got frustrated. And this happened. 
> 
> (Also, i've been listening to the theme song for Wynonna Earp for like an hour, so... idk how that's gonna effect my writing)


End file.
